Spotlight for THE CHRISTMAS COMPETITION by Zoe Allison

 

THE CHRISTMAS COMPETITION by Zoe Allison

Published:  October 20, 2026 by Berkley Trade Paperback Original

Genre:   Enemies to Lovers; Contemporary Romance; Holiday

 

The story: The local rumor mill in Nisa Ansari's small highland town is swirling about the downfall of her marriage, and in desperate need of a distraction, she enters her town’s Christmas house-decorating competition. The competition comes with the added bonus of getting on neighbor Kerr Murdoch’s last nerve. It’s the least she could do, considering her ex-husband left Nisa for Kerr’s girlfriend. And maybe if Kerr smiled or cracked a joke—just once!—his girlfriend would’ve stayed, and Nisa wouldn’t find herself alone during the holidays.

 

Introverted Kerr has trouble feeling comfortable around people he doesn’t know well. Newly single, he decorates his house in remembrance of his mother, who always had a soft spot for Christmas lights. But when Nisa's and Kerr’s decorations end up nearly identical, he incurs Nisa’s wrath.

 

This means all-out war, complete with gaudy wreaths, twinkle lights, and too many reindeer to count. Never mind that Nisa can’t keep her eyes off Kerr’s toned forearms. Or ignore that he’s a pet-loving veterinarian with a heart of gold. After conceding to her husband’s wishes for years, Nisa is determined to get her way. But as Christmas draws near, Nisa must decide what she actually wants: the familiar rivalry she’s had for years with Kerr, or opening herself up to the chance to fall in love with someone new.

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Author Bio: Zoe Allison is a graduate of the RNA's New Writers' Scheme. Alongside her day jobs as a doctor and a writer, she started a TikTok account in 2021 where she regularly shares comedic sketches based on writing, and the romance genre in particular.

Book Review for Love Me Wicked: Zeke Wicked by Melissa Foster

 Love Me Wicked: Zeke Wicked by Melissa Foster

Published:  October 28, 2026 by World Literary Press

Tropes: Small-town, found family, biker romance, close proximity, protective hero, savior hero, friends to lovers.

Taken from Goodreads:  A Dark Knight biker, a torturous secret, and a road trip that changes everything. Come along for the emotionally wicked ride in this steamy, pulse-pounding small-town standalone romance. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a happily ever after that will stay with you long after you read the last page.

Tattooist Aria Bad has mastered the art of hiding in plain sight. Her art is her only safe place. Crowded rooms make her panic. People’s eyes burn too hot. Except his. Zeke Wicked has been the steady presence she’s leaned on since he tutored her through high school. He’s a loyal, protective Dark Knight biker, the kind of man who sees everything and the one man who could unravel her without even trying. Every year he takes her to see her family for the holidays, but this year she’s harboring a secret and needs to go alone.

Years ago, Zeke swore to protect, and never touch, Aria, but that didn’t stop his heart from staking claim to her. Lately she’s been secretive and has been pulling away, and now she’s determined to make their annual trip without him, but his instincts won’t let her go alone. When a storm strands them, boundaries blur and buried feelings rise to the surface, unearthing a passion neither can deny. But as the storm clears, they discover two dangerous truths—one that ties them together and one that threatens to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:  I have been in need of Zeke’s story for so long.  Melissa Foster did not disappoint.  Aria is the perfect match for Zeke.  I love a friends to lovers story and this is one of the best I have ever read.   Aria and Zeke have been best friends for so long that moving to more than friends is scary.  They are so careful, but when love hits you cannot fight it for long.

The main story is always perfect but I love catching up with characters from past books too.   Their lives move on, they grow and change.  It is fun to see where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing.  Each book is a standalone book with a complete story so you can read them in any order. 

Everything about this book and series is exactly what I look for when I pick up a Melissa Foster book.   There are strong relationships, amazing friendships, and wonderful families. 

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Available Now!! The Forbidden One by Marni Mann

 

The Forbidden One by Marni Mann is now live! An emotionally gripping, angsty, he-falls-first, billionaire romance from USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann … I don’t believe in love. He’s willing to burn down the world to win my heart. I never expected him to succeed. They used to call me the sassy one. Unafraid. Uninhibited. Unstoppable. Until the night everything changed. The evening that scarred me and altered my life’s path. I was left shattered and haunted by who I’d never be and what I’d never have. Now, they call me the forbidden one. Closed off. Guarded. Surrounded by affection, but unwilling to love anyone besides my family. And then, out of nowhere, comes a man I least expect. Impressive on paper, even more so in person, and after each encounter, he leaves me craving … More than I’ve wanted with any other man. Moments that will overshadow the darkest ones. Troy Wolf is everything I’m not looking for. Everything I don’t want. And yet he’s everything I need. There’s just one problem … My heart is locked. Can I open it enough to let Troy in? Or will the ghosts from my past stand between us and our forever? Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Audiobook Narrated by: Connor Crais & Samantha Brentmoor Visit Marni Mann’s website for buy links, or search The Forbidden One by Marni Mann on Amazon and your retailer of choice for audiobooks. Don’t forget to add The Forbidden One by Marni Mann to your Goodreads TBR! Ebook: https://geni.us/TheForbiddenOne Audiobook: https://geni.us/TheForbiddenOneAudio Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4nbnPEl

Now Available Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne

 

Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne is now live! Waking up with a ring on my finger and a professional hockey player in my bed was not on my Vegas itinerary. Especially since that hockey player is Vegas Vengeance superstar Cash Maddox, my brother's sworn enemy. But maybe he's exactly the kind of reckless choice I need. I'm the youngest Bradley...sheltered, overprotected, and, yes, still a virgin. He's an experienced bad boy a decade older than me. But a white dress and too much tequila lead us straight to a wedding chapel I don't remember visiting. When the hangover wears off, I realize this is my chance to break away from my family's constant hovering. We agree to two simple rules: pretend we're happily married, and don't let feelings get involved. Except Cash makes pretending a little too easy. Behind his cocky smirk is a fiercely protective, thoughtful man who inspires me to take risks. Every heated glance and stolen touch leaves me aching for him to be my first. I was only supposed to stay married to him. I wasn't supposed to fall for him. But the more I hear Cash call me his wife, the more I want it to be real. Until the secret he's keeping catches up with us. And when I discover the truth, all bets are off. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Audiobook Narrated by: Gideon Frost & Daphne Fields Visit Lisa Suzanne’s website for buy links, or search Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne on Amazon and Audible. Don’t forget to add Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne to your Goodreads TBR! Amazon: https://geni.us/BreakawayBet Audible: https://geni.us/BreakawayBetAudible Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3RPKeeX

Book Review for Give Me Tonight by Jennifer Sucevic

 

Give Me Tonight by Jennifer Sucevic is now live! Waking up married in Vegas? Not exactly part of the plan. Especially when the groom is Jax Wilder—Chicago Railers hockey star, shameless flirt, and the most infuriating man I’ve ever met. I want an annulment. He wants to stay married. But with custody of my younger siblings on the line, a stable home—and a husband—might be exactly what I need to keep us together. Jax offers me a deal: stay married, move into his penthouse, and let him help until everything is settled. It’s only temporary. Except Jax doesn’t just make room for me. He makes room for all of us. And somewhere between family dinners, late nights, and sharing a bed with the husband I never wanted, our marriage starts feeling dangerously real. Falling for my husband was never part of the plan. Neither was wanting to keep him. Give Me Tonight is an enemies-to-lovers, Vegas wedding, pro hockey romance featuring a golden retriever hero who falls first—and a black cat heroine who’s spent her whole life standing on her own. He’s determined to prove he’s in it for the long haul… even if she’s terrified to believe him. My Thoughts:  Hockey Romance season is here, well it never really left. But NHL & AHL season has started and I am in the mood for extra hockey romance books.   Jennifer Sucevic, the author, has written the perfect book for me.  I love when a man falls first and does everything he can to prove he is Mr. Right.   Sloane is taking care of her siblings, which makes her a hero in my eyes.   She is used to being on her own and accepting help is not easy.  Jax helps, in so many ways, and makes her life easier without stepping on her toes too much. These two are steamy hot with a sweetness that makes me melt.    Give Me Tonight is the perfect sports, hockey romance book.  There are fun charaters, a steamy story, and HOCKEY!  What more can you ask for?  Thank you Valentine PR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.   Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Audiobook Narrated by: Christian Fox & Vanessa Edwin Visit Jennifer Sucevic’s website for buy links, or search Give Me Tonight by Jennifer Sucevic on Amazon and Audible. Don’t forget to add Give Me Tonight by Jennifer Sucevic to your Goodreads TBR! Amazon: https://geni.us/givemetonight Audible: https://bit.ly/4hVwUii Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4wLHnCw

Available Now! Guarded by Eden Sloane

 

Title: Guarded

Series: Boston Renegades

Author: Eden Sloane

Genre/Tropes: Hockey Romance; Fake Marriage; Morally Grey Heroine; Single Dad; Bookish Hero; Found Family

Release Date: October 20, 2026

For a chance to save his daughter, he’ll do whatever it takes…

Sebastian Voss has spent the last three years fighting for custody of the little girl who means everything to him. Between a narcissistic ex-wife, her new fiancé, and a steady stream of damaging headlines painting him as the NHL’s favorite womanizing disaster, Sebastian is running out of options.

Then he lands on one reckless, desperate solution. He needs a wife.

Kat Morrison should be the last woman he asks. He barely knows anything about her except for her storm-gray eyes, freckles, and captivating aura.

But Sebastian has been gone for her since the moment they met, and if marrying Kat gives him a better chance at keeping his daughter safe, he’ll risk everything.

Even his heart.

Kat knows saying yes is a mistake.

Not because she doesn’t love him.

Because she does.

For three years, she’s been forced to write the lies that have damaged Sebastian’s reputation and cost him chance after chance in court. Blackmailed into obedience to save her brother’s life, Kat has become the weapon aimed straight at the only man who’s ever made her feel safe.

Now she’s living in his house, wearing his ring, loving his daughter, and falling deeper for the family she was supposed to help destroy.

But the closer Sebastian and Kat get, the harder it becomes to tell where the lie ends and forever begins.

And when the truth finally comes out, Sebastian could lose more than custody of his daughter.

He could lose the woman he’s loved all along.

Eden Sloane believes the best love stories aren't about perfect people. They're about imperfect people who keep choosing each other, even after the truth changes everything.

She writes emotionally charged contemporary romance featuring devoted heroes, resilient heroines, impossible choices, and love worth risking everything for. Her stories celebrate the courage it takes to love completely.

When she's not plotting emotional damage (followed by well-earned happily ever afters), Eden can usually be found gardening, trying to win an ongoing battle with the weeds in her yard, drinking far too much caffeine, enjoying a nightcap while watching BBC crime dramas with her husband, and keeping tabs on her four children.

And if you're reading this during the winter, please send warm thoughts. Eden is somewhere in the Midwest, questioning every life choice that led her to a place where the air hurts her face.

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Release Blitz for Hopelessly in Love by Stacy Travis

 

Hopelessly in Love by Stacy Travis is now live! An addicting small town, single dad, grumpy x sunshine, fake fiancé romance. My first mistake was kissing a hot cowboy. My second was agreeing to be his fake fiancée to save his handsome hide in a custody battle. My third…well, there’s still time… Single dad Luke Reilly doesn’t trust women who leave for greener pastures. He’s fiercely protective of his four-year-old son and even more protective of his own heart. But then he met me, or more accurately, my lips… I’m a free-spirited city gal, newly unemployed and in desperate need for an adventure. Between renovating the dilapidated ranch I inherited with my sisters, the last thing I need is a broody cowboy, even if he is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. But when Luke asks me for a quick favor: block him from view of his vindictive ex, I do one better and plant a kiss right on his lips. His response? Introducing me as his fiancée. Now I’m fake-engaged to a grumpy single dad who seems more irritated by me than grateful for the favor. But his little boy wins me over, and long afternoons of babysitting lead to longer nights of getting to know Luke Reilly. Photo shoots and fake kisses to document our “relationship” start to feel dangerously real. Pretty soon, my body can’t tell the difference–and neither can my heart. When the call of a fresh adventure beckons, I’m tempted to protect myself and leave this town in the dust. Because I think I’ve just made my third mistake—falling hopelessly in love. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Visit Stacy Travis’s website for buy links, or search Hopelessly in Love by Stacy Travis on Amazon. Don’t forget to add Hopelessly in Love by Stacy Travis to your Goodreads TBR! Amazon: https://bit.ly/4csAv5m Goodreads: https://bit.ly/45caoMh

Book Review for Love, Lies, and Too Many Guys by Erica Lucke Dean

 

Love, Lies, and Too Many Guys by Erica Lucke Dean

Published:  October 20, 2026 by Lake Union Publishing

Genre:  Rom-Com, Romance

Taken from Goodreads:  A college student has more to lose than she can imagine in a funny and heartfelt romantic comedy by the author of Chasing Stardust.

Twenty-year-old Kennedy Beaman is a virgin, and she’s fine with that…most of the time. But her mother, who is full of regrets after a bad marriage, won’t stop pushing her to “experience life” while she can. So Kennedy and her best friend, Nicole, make a list of guys who get her heart racing. It’s all fun and games until the list goes missing.

When Kennedy’s “get laid” list goes viral, she’d rather own the campus-wide spectacle than be a victim. Nicole convinces her to turn her humiliation into a reality show–style competition—the last man standing will be her first after the spring formal. An online feminist magazine ups the ante by offering Kennedy a scholarship in exchange for her story.

But as she weathers one bad date after another, Kennedy finds herself drawn to Jordan Keller, a sullen, faux-hawked Mr. Wrong who didn’t even make the list. Can she figure out what she really wants in life before the final round? Otherwise, she may lose something she’ll miss more than her virginity—her heart.

My Thoughts:  Erica Lucke Dean is an author I love to read. When she publishes a new book, I know that I will want to read it. Her books are unique and fun.   This book falls right into what I expect.  I started the book on a beautiful morning and finished it on a rainy night.  It is a book that can be read anytime, anywhere. 

Love, Lies and Too Many Guys felt a little different to me.  I enjoyed the story but this is the first book of hers that I did not like the characters.   The female characters were rude, selfish, and just not likable.  Kennedy’s mom was too encouraging and involved in Kennedy losing her virginity.  Nicole, her best friend, was more like her worst enemy.  Nothing she did was in Kennedy’s best interest.

If you are looking for an easy read, this is the book for you.   The story goes much as expected.

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Release Blitz for Twined Fates by K. Bromberg

 

Twined Fates by K. Bromberg is now live! The explosive conclusion to the Tangled Hearts trilogy from New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg! Holden She’s my rival. My obsession. My ruin. I told myself Rowan Rothschild was nothing more than the enemy across the boardroom table. But the longer our worlds collide, the harder it is to remember which battles are worth winning. Now she’s the woman I can’t stay away from, even when the cost might be everything I’ve worked years for. Rowan The company. The inheritance. The family name. I’ve fought to protect it all from Holden Knight, but nothing prepared me to face him again. Every look, every touch, every ruthless move he makes drags me deeper back into him. The line between love and hate has never been thinner. And this time, falling for him could destroy us both. Download today and buy the paperback! Visit K. Bromberg’s website for buy links, or search Twined Fates by K. Bromberg on your retailer of choice for ebooks and paperbacks. Due to a production issue, the audio will not be available until 5/4/27 but you can preorder it today! Don’t forget to add Twined Fates by K. Bromberg to your Goodreads TBR! Check out Twisted Knight (Book 1) & Threaded Lies (Book 2) in Kindle Unlimited prior to reading Twined Fates. Ebook: https://bit.ly/47pwCLM Paperback: https://bit.ly/49zkV7e Audiobook (Pre-Order): https://geni.us/TFAudio Goodreads: https://geni.us/TFatesGR